Reproduction of sound



P 1932- \MB. JONES 1,855,150

REPRODUCTION OF SOUND Filed em. 10, 1928 (95 Wfiarfleifi Jones,

By 971-?W @649 [uric/11151"- new a. 19. m2 1,855,150

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE w. nan'ran'r'r some, or cmcaao, rumors bf-PBODUC'IPI or scum) a umida filed ember 10, use. semi no. 31am.

' The invention relates generally to sound, of the method specially described in said apand in particular to the production of sound plication.

or the transfer, or the recording of scan I In the U. S. Patent to Wier No. 1,508,432, with the subsequent reproduction. It prothere is disclosed abinaural phono ph sys- 5 vides a means and a method for securing tem in which two separate recor s bearing 55 space efiects with sound origins, both stationbinaurally related versions of the same sounds ary and moving, and preferably those which may be reproduced and resented to the lisare com arable to the stereoscopic sheets with tener. In that patent t e disclosure shows light. trelates particularly to the transmistwo independent re reducing units for taksion of sound to the brain in such a manner ing the sound from t erecord. Asamatter of so that virtual origins of sound are produced. fact the time difi'erentials which exist in The invention makes use of the so-called binaural sound are so small that a very ac- -binaural principle of sound reception. curate relative adjustment of the needle posiresent invention is directed to .a new tions of Wier is necessary to secure the bintype 0 record which may be used to obtain aural efiect which he seeks. The synchronew and novel efi'ects in accordance with the msm there disclosed is diflicult to secure pracmethods disclosed in my copendin U. aptically and sli ht deviations of adjustment plications Serial No. 183 414, file April 13, destroy the re ect. The dual structure rev1927, Serial No. 210,629, filed August 4, 1927, quires not only accurate placement of two 9 and Serial No. 326,023, filed December 14, records but in addition the accurate lace- 1928. The first two applications disclose ment of the needles on the records, an true methods of recording sounds for makin such synchronism in operation. It is obvious to records, and all of said a&plications disclose pne familiar with the art that some pdjustmethods by means f whi such records ma mg means must be provided for relating the be reproduced an presented with new o two records and the two needles properly for fects. correct operation.

In applications Serial No. 183,414 and Se- Furthermore the typp of presentation of rial No. 326,023 there are described methods sound by Wier s headp ones in a limitation of making-records of sounds by means of of the practical use of that device. It necestwo pick-up devices'which are la ed a sitates the accurate adjustment above referred ferent 100i relative to the sounds to be re-- to, In the method of presenting sound corded, so that the one record corresponds to using id l p td d spaced W one ear mlght hear when the other F ducers, as described in the copending appliord conespopds to t the other ear m1 ht cations above referred 'to, the necessity forhear a listener summed whemithe adjustment is not so urgent as the position 2? dances unheated The best arrangement of the head between the two widely separated pass-5 "iitfii: stem: 22:: m m mused e for tive to each 0 er. However the arrange- 40 ment is not limited to this plleferred {0mm Other benefits of the new method of presenta- In m 00 i a cation Serial tion over Wier are more particularly to be 210,629 he p i l r -u i iev i s are located at disfohhd fully descl'lhfhi the copehdmg PPh' tances further apart than human ears, termed 11171 11 0 extra-binaural distances as they are out- One Ob ect of the present invention is to a side the natural binaural limit, which is conproduce superimposed sound records for bmsidered as approximately the average distance aural effects. apart of human ears. y means of this ar- A particular ob ect is the product1on of raiigemen't only certain of the recorded sounds the track or groove-type of record in which ma be his binaural relation at certain times, track or groove are combined 11'! a separable mo 50 giving new efl'ects when presented by means relation two diiferent versions of the same maladjustment of two needles on two records.

sounds, or the same sound in difierent phase relations.

A furthenobject of the invention is the combination of hinaurally related effects of a sound in one track or groove in such a way that instantaneously related points in the record are coincident in the groove or track.

A particular object of the invention is to provide one effect as a lateral cut in the groove, and to provide the binaurally related effect as a vertical cut in the groove.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of the invention and of the records and apparatus which are disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a. phonographic reproducer for a single track dual efi'ect sound record.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are respectively elevation, plan and end views of a duplex pick-up device and of a record associated therewith for the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a modified phonographic reproducer or recording apparatus for a modified single track dual effect sound record.

Fig. 6 is a particular auditory station for the invention in the form of a chair.

For phonographic reproduction two records may be made, one for the right ear elfect and one for the left ear effect. A double groove or side-by-side records on a disc or other surface would materially shorten the selection, as compared to present practice, but this may be avoided by providing the two effects in one groove. Two types of sound groove are now employed, one varying vertically and one varyin horizontally. A groove may be made which varies vertically for one effect and which varies laterally for the other effect. The positions of instantaneous efiects may be separated or coincidental according to the type of apparatus provided for reproducing the records.

In the drawings there are shown some phonographic apparatus which may" be considered either as the means for forming the record or as the means for reproducing the record, it being understood that the changes from one to the other, for practical purposes are well known in the art and form no part of this invention. I prefer t0.use electrical apparatus rather than the tone-arm and horn o the present day reproducer for the reason that such a partus permits connection of a plurality 0 electrical reproducers for the practice of the present invention. It is however to be understood that this is not necessary and that an instrument may be made which operates upon the principle of the common phonograph without electrical parts. Using two reproducers, electrical or otherwise, the observer, in practicing the present invention, positions himself at an auditory station, that is, between the two reproducers and at substantially the ,middle point. The reproducers may be head phones, tone horns, sound conducting tubes, or other spaced reproducers.

The drawings represent apparatus for the groove type of phonograph records and the parts shown may be considered as means for producing the records or as means for reproducing sound from the records. will be described however as the reproducing means, but it is to be understood that they embody the present invention, and that a change from one form to the other is no part of this invention.

For a singlegroove two-efi'ect record a special recording or pick-up device is used which is capable of inde endently reproducing two right angular vi rations. A record of this type is shown at 78 in Figs. 1 t0 4. A single sound groove 7 9 varies in depth for one effect and shifts laterally from the true spiral line for another effect. A groove-follower is provided as a needle 80 mounted in the socket means 81 which is carried on a block having the form of a cube 82. The phonograph of Fig. 1 has a swinging arm 83 with a lateral extension 83"- (Figs. 2 and 3). From the lateral extension 83 a resilient or springy projection 84 extends parallel to the record and more or less in the direction of the tangents to the sound groove. The block 82 is carried bythe member 84 so that it is free to vibrate laterally and vertically. Above the block 82 is a micro hone element 85 with a ball contact 86 resting on the flat to of the cube. One lateral face of the cu c has a similarly contacting microphone element 87 and ball contact 88. Each vibration may thus be recorded independently of the other. The microphones are mounted on a rigid member 89 which is carried by the extension 83. This type of device is represented generally in Fig. l by the numeral 90.

The single-groove tWo-cfi'ect record is preferred for the reason that a single groove follower will sufiice to reproduce the two effects, thus eliminating the necessity for providing two pick-up devices and an attendant construction or adjustment to maintain the two groove followers in proper phase. I do not however exclude the form shown in Fig. 5 in which two pick-up devices are employed. 91 represents the well known form of recorder or reproducer for lateral groove records, and 92 indicates the well known form of recorder or reproducer for the vertically varying records. The record 7 8 of Fig. 5 is of course a modified form of the record 78 above described. Record 7 8 of necessity has two coincidental sound effects at every point in the groove 79. Since the apparatus of Fig. 5 provides two pick-up devices 91 and 92 which are 180 apart, it is They necessary to provide a modified single-groove record 78' with simultaneous sound efiects separated by 180. Left and right sockets 93 and 94 are provided for plugging in suitable receivers.

In Fig. 0 there is shown a special chair 95in the back of which are incorporated two reproducers 96 and 97 with leads 98 and 99 to be plugged into any of the illustrated phonograph instruments. A human head 100 is represented by the circle and its ears are designated R and L. The chair and the locations of the reproducers cause the ears L and R to be placed in proper position to receive the efiects described herein. The device of Fig. 6 constitutes an auditory station by means of which the best eifects of the invention may be secured. It is to be understood that the chair is a part of the full combination only insofar as it serves to position the head in the region midway between the two reproducers 96 and 97.

The fact that a right and left ear efi'ect sound record is provided always gives two versions of one recording. Therefore, when each efl'ect is reproduced alone the reproduction is the same as in ordinary phonographs and there is in addition a choice between 'the two versions. on both versions are played to ether, but a listener isnot positioned wit in an auditory station to receive the full efiect of the invention, there is nevertheless an improved rece tion over the playin of a single version. be two effects from di erent sources blend together into a richer V and more sonorous reproduction than attends the reproduction of but a single effect, as in the phonograph now in common use.

Although the invention is specifically described with reference to binaural effects the use of extra-binaural or other intelligibly coordinated eflects is contemplated. Since a departure of the auditor from central position between two reproducers from which binaural efl'ects issue, gives to the auditor a reception corresponding to extra-binaural effects, it is equally within contemplation of the invention that extra-binaural effects be initially recorded, as described in my copending application Ser. No. 210,629, filed August 4, 1927. The fact that two sound waves are received which are out of phase makes the tardy one appear as a reflection. It is well known that'within limits, such delayed-by-reflection waves add to the tone qualities. 4 Accordingly the appended claims are to be construed broadly m conformity with these facts.

In Fig. 4 the reproducer for the two efiect record is shown as havin its independent circuits 101 and 102, from e microphone elements 85 and 87 respectively, connected into a circuit control box 103. Variable controls 104 and 105, are provided for each circuit to vary the intensity of the tone in each circuit.

Terminals 106 and 107 may be connected by suitable mechanism (not shown) to permit optional connection to one or two reproducers. The use of one reproducer 108 is particularlly advantageous, and is now found in many p onographs. Both efiects may be combined in the one reproducer, or each may be reproduced individually.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending U. S. application Serial" No. 183,414, filed April 13, 1927.

What I claim is:

1. A duplex sound record combining in one track two independent and separable records of the same sounds picked up at difierent loci, one for the right ear, and one for the left ear.

' 2. A duplex sound record combining in one track two independent and separable records of the same sounds, one for theright ear, and one for the left ear in the natural binaural relation to the right ear efl'ect.

3. A duplex sound record combining in one track two difl'erently phased independent and separable records of the same sounds:

picked up at different loci.

4. A duplex record combining in one track two difl'erent intelligibly coordinated and separable records of the same sounds picked up at different loci.

5. A duplex sound record having a horizontal varying sound track for one record of a given sound, and a vertically varyin sound track for a difierently phased reco of the same sound.

6. A duplex sound record having a horizontally varyin sound track recording sound rimarily mtended for one ear, and a verticafiy varying track recording sound primarily intended and difierently phased for the other ear.

7. A duplex sound record having a horizontally varying sound track for recording sound rimarily intended for one ear, and a vertically var ng track recording sound primarily inten ed for the other car, sounds in both records from a common source being in natural binaural relation.

8. A duplex sound record having a sound track varying horizontally for one record of sound and vertically for another record, said two records containing intelligibly eoordinated records of the same sounds picked up at difierent loci.

9. A duplex sound record having a sound track varyin horizontally for sound primarily inten ed for one ear and vertically for sound primarily intended. for the other ear, said two recordmgsbeing records of the same sound in natural binaural relation.

10. A duplex sound record having a sound track varyin horizontally for sound primarily inten ed for one ear, and varying vertically for a binaurally related sound record primarily intended for the other ear, bintil aurall instantaneous eflects being similarly spa along the track.

11. A du lex sound record having a sound track varylng horizontally for sound primarily intended for one ear, and varying vertically for a binauraliy related sound record primarily intended for the other ear, binaurally instantaneous efiects being coincident alon the length of the track.

12. A uplex record combining in the same track two independent and separable records of the same sounds, one for the right ear, and one for the left ear, said records containing com nent waves of at least one sound source w ich are in natural binaural relation.

13. A duplex sound record having a sound track varym horizontally for sound primarily inten ed for one ear and varying vertically for sound primarily intended for the other car, said two recordings containing a record of sound from a common source which are in a natural binaural relation.

In witness whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

W. BARTLETT JONES.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,855,150. April 19, 1932.

I. BARTIEI'I JONES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the Page 1, line 78, for

read horizonabove numbered patent requiring correction as follows: "in" read is; page 3, lines 95 and 96, claim 5, for "horizontal" tally; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may eoniorm to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

til

aurall instantaneous eflects being similarly spa along the track.

11. A du lex sound record having a sound track varylng horizontally for sound primarily intended for one ear, and varying vertically for a binauraliy related sound record primarily intended for the other ear, binaurally instantaneous efiects being coincident alon the length of the track.

12. A uplex record combining in the same track two independent and separable records of the same sounds, one for the right ear, and one for the left ear, said records containing com nent waves of at least one sound source w ich are in natural binaural relation.

13. A duplex sound record having a sound track varym horizontally for sound primarily inten ed for one ear and varying vertically for sound primarily intended for the other car, said two recordings containing a record of sound from a common source which are in a natural binaural relation.

In witness whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

W. BARTLETT JONES.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,855,150. April 19, 1932.

I. BARTIEI'I JONES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the Page 1, line 78, for

read horizonabove numbered patent requiring correction as follows: "in" read is; page 3, lines 95 and 96, claim 5, for "horizontal" tally; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may eoniorm to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

